Good Bye
by The Golden Stringbean
Summary: Chris's View on his moms death (short)


It was my turn to go up. I wiped the tears from my eyes as I realized I had to be strong for Sammie. I took a step forward, my legs shaking and my heart pounding. Slowly I walked up to the deep mahogany casket. Standing there I just wanted to yell, Why Lord, did you have to take my mom, but I didn't. I just stood there, not able to do or say anything. I could feel my hand shaking against my black slacks, so I looked down on it. It wasn't really my hand I was looking at, but the rose which was in it. I lifted my shaky hand over the grave. I didn't want to drop it because I knew that when I did, it would mean that she was gone. Gone forever. Despretly I held on to the rose as hard as I could, trying to delay something that had to happen. One by one I let my fingers relax until I was only holding it with my thumb and forefinger. As I closed my eyes to say one last prayer I felt the rose slide out of my hand and fall to the smoot wood below. It was over. I took a step back and slowly turned on my right heal. Tears burned in my eyes as I looked around at all the guests. I turned to look at Sammie, my only cousin and family member left. Well, that was still here on earth or cared enough to stay around. That brought me thinking about Dad and more tears came to my eyes. Did he even love us? And did he even know that his wife was dead? He had to have I mean he is an Elder still. And if he knew, then why didn't he do anything about it? Why?  
  
I felt someone pulling on my pant leg, so I looked down to see Sammie. My 5 year old little cousin, who looked exactly like her mother, Phoebe. The tears started again, but I brushed them aside. I have to stop crying like this. I'm 13. I can't keep cryin like a crybaby "What's wrong?" I asked her as i picked her up and walked over to a nearby tree.  
  
"Where'd Aunt Piper go?" she asked as we sat down. I sat there for a moment not knowing what I should do. I didn't know what to tell her. Should I just come out with the truth? No, I couldn't do that. I told my self. Chris, think, What did Mom tell her when Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige died?  
  
"Umm...," I started. "Auntie Piper is... she's in a better place called Heaven."  
  
"What's that?" Sammie asked me innocently.  
  
Great, what to say now "Heaven can be many things. It can be a field full of flowers, or a giant castle. It can be anything that you want it to be. But, there is one thing that heaven will always be, no matter what it looks like."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Heaven is a place of peace and harmony. A place where all can live together safely and out of harm. It's a place where people are always happy."  
  
"So Aunt Piper is happy then?"  
  
"Yes, your Aunt Piper is happy."  
  
Sammie got up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She then walked over to Mom's grave for one last look. When she was done she turned around and walked toward me. "Chris," she said. "Is Mommy and Aunt Paige there too? In heaven?" "Of course," I told her. "Of course," Tears welled up in my eyes once more. I've really gotta stop this crying I yelled at myself as I scooped Sammie up.  
  
She looked up to me with such confusion and fright that I didn't know what to do. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was trying to be strong, but her outer shell was wearing thin. Tears were streaming down her face like a minature waterfall. The silent tears soon became racking sobs which made everyone else fall silent and turn. No one moved a muscle, they just stood there, watching to see what I would do next.  
  
I stood there and stared back at them, just for a beat. I then turned around and walked away. My heart lifted and I felt a joy that I didn't even know existed. I could feel her there with me, making everything better as she always had done.  
  
It felt so strange, and by the look on Sammie's face I could tell she was having the same feeling. Her eyes were just as wide as her smile. "Chris?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How come I can feel Mommy?"  
  
"I don't know." I replied truthfully."But it's the best feeling I've had in a long time."  
  
"Me too!" she exclamed  
  
Now that I'm older I have come to a conclusion. Death was just as Shakespeare described.  
  
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day  
  
Thou are more lovely and more temperate:  
  
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May  
  
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:  
  
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,  
  
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;  
  
And every fair from fair sometime declines  
  
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd  
  
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,  
  
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;  
  
Nor Shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,  
  
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st  
  
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,  
  
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee  
  
Mom would not only live on in Sammie and my heart, but she will live on forever through the story that I have just told you. For as long as this story is read, she will be remembered and loved, by even those who didn't know her.  
  
The End 


End file.
